OC Woman Accused Of Setting House On Fire With Mom, Child Inside

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SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — An Orange County woman faced arson charges Tuesday for allegedly setting her house on fire while four people — including her mother and 3-year-old child — were still inside the residence, according to reports.

KNX 1070’s Mike Landa reports detectives believe Yanele Mariano grew increasingly upset with her four roommates in the days leading up to the fire.

The blaze was reported at 11:20 a.m. Thursday in the 8900 block of Tina Way in Stanton, according to Orange County Sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino.

Mariano allegedly lit a couch on fire and doused one of her male roommates with lighter fluid, detectives said. Mariano then locked a patio gate as she fled the residence.

Capt. John Muir of the Orange County Fire Authority said neighbors were quick to come to their rescue.

“Whether it be closed doors and opening them and directing them to safety, there was a lot of fire and smoke in the area,” Muir said. “Those people did a great job, and we commend them for their assistance and are glad that nobody got hurt.”

Mariano reportedly lived at the building with her mother, her child and four other people, Amormino told the Orange County Register.

She was taken into custody after authorities in Covina, who were interviewing her for another issue, realized an warrant had been issued for her arrest.

Mariano was booked into Women’s Central Jail in Santa Ana with bail set at $500,000.

In addition to charges of aggravated arson, investigators want the District Attorney to charge Mariano with four counts of attempted murder.